Panel construction



June 21, 1960 T. B. B. RANKIN 2,941,632

PANEL CONSTRUCTION Filed Feb. 3, 1959 2 Sheets-Sheet 1 f" ""lllllllfl V FIG-.2

'June 21, 1960 T. B. B. RANKIN PANEL CONSTRUCTION 2 Sheets-Sheet 2 Filed Feb. 3, 1959 INVENTOR. Thomas B.B. Ronlkin United States Patent PANEL CONSTRUCTION Thomas Byrd Bryson Rankin, Brantford, Ontario, Canada, assignor to Canadian General Electric Company gimited, Toronto, Ontario, Canada, a corporation of anada Filed Feb. 3, 1959, Ser. No. 790,872

Claims priority, application Canada Feb. 4, 1958 Claims. (Cl. 189-2) This invention relates to a prefabricated panel structure and to a thermally insulated enclosure such as an industrial oven constructed from a plurality of such panels.

Ovens used byindustry have in the past usually been custom built on the job. Such on-the-job structures entail a large proportion of manual labour where considerable skill is required because the structural members and the cover sheets therefor are generally individually cut to size and formed into the particular shape necessary. Production tools .such as those normally available in a factory cannot conveniently be employed to their full advantage and on such an on-the-job construction a much higher degree of skill is therefore required of a workman.

As a result it usually takes longer to complete the job and it is also more costly than it would have been had it been carried out in a fully equipped shop employing modem production tools and techniques.

It is also well known to prefabricate panels in a shop :and then assemble them into a structure such as an in- .dustrial oven. Many of the disadvantages of the custom built structure are avoided by the use of prefabricated panels but new problems have arisen. If, for example, similar panels are used throughout the structure, it may be necessary to fabricate the corners while on the job. If a single type of panel is supplied for a wall and another for a corner, this complicates factory operations and increases the cost of the panels.

It 'is therefore an object of this invention to provide ;a-prefabricated panel structure of a design which may be readily assembled together with other similar prefabri- .cated panels toform anenclosure.

.A further object of the invention is to provide a panel :structure formed from stock size materials thus .minimizling waste.

Another object .of the invention is to provide .a .ther- .mally insulated enclosure constructed from a plurality of :siniilar panels. f

' These and otherobjects and advantagesof this invention will appearin the following description and draw- :ings in which:

Figure 1 illustrates an arrangement of panels in an tenclosure; I

Figure 2 shows a panel structure in perspective;

Figure 3 is a view in section taken along AA of Figvure 1 showing the manner in which two panels may be 1 secured together in a Wall of the enclosure;

Figure 4 is a view in section taken along B-B of Figure 1 showing'themanner in which two panels may "be secured together to form a corner of the enclosure;

.and

" -Figure- 5: is a view in section taken along CC of *Fig'ure 1 showing the manner in which a panel may be supported on a foundation.

.Briefiy, the practice of this-invention provides an enclosure constructed from a plurality of similar prefabricated panels, each of which comprises first and second spaced rectangular plates formed with integral right angu- Zlar flanges along the edges thereof, said flanges being directed toward an opposite plate. The second plate is considerably longer and wider than the first plate and arranged with respect thereto such that its edges protrude beyond those of the first plate. An enclosure with a smooth outer wall surface is formed by securing the panels together by means of the flanges on the second plates from inside the enclosure through the openings resulting from the smaller first panels. Thermal insulation is placed between the plates and the access openings are closed by covers.

In Figure 1 there is illustrated a broken away portion of an enclosure 1 including side wall panels 2, 3 and 4, end wall panels 5 and 6, and ceiling panels 7 and 8. The panels are shown in outline for the purpose of demonstrating the manner in which they may be arranged to form a wall and a corner of the enclosure.

The panels 2 to 8 are similar and are illustrated in Figure 2, each comprising rectangular plates 9 and 10 of relatively thin sheet metal. Plate 9 is of smaller length and width than plate 10 and the two are arranged in parallel spaced relationship in such a manner that the edges of plate 10 protrude beyond the edges of plate 9. (See Figures 2 to 5.) Spacer members 11 are welded to plates 9 and 1t) and support them in spaced relationship. Thermal insulation 17 fills the space defined within the two plates and the spacers. These panels are fabricated as production items in a factory and the insulation is added at the appropriate time during assembly of a panel.

Plate 9 is formed with an integral flange 18 along each one of its four edges, the flange being directed toward plate 10 and having an edge portion 19 turned in as shown in Figures 3 to 5 so as to lie in a plane substantially parallel to that of the plate. Plate 10 is formed with a similar integral right angular flange 20 directed toward another important function which will be discussed later.

Whenever possible the dimensions of enclosure .1 are so selected that it may be fabricated from a plurality of standard size panels, the dimensions of a panel being determined by stock size plates 9 and 10. By making a panel from plates of sizes normally carried as stock items it is possible to avoid trimming material from a plate and thereby eliminate waste.

Each of the spacer members 11 is formed. from a strip of metal having the ends thereof bent at right angles in opposite directions as clearly shown in Figure 3. Since the plates 9 and 10 form the inner and outer walls respectively of an oven or like apparatus it is important that the spacers 11 be of relatively light gauge material and as few in number as possible to avoid conducting an appreciable amount of heat from one plate to the other. The spacers are positioned along the edge of plate 9 in contact with edges 19 of flange 18 as illustrated in Figures 2 and 3 and spot welded to plates 9 and 10 as at 22 and 23 respectively. Added stifiness may be imparted to the panel by a further weld 24 to unite the edge portion 19 of flange 18 with each spacer member.

Figure 3 illustrates an assembly of panels 2, 3 and 4 to form a side wall of the enclosure 1. The end, ceiling and bottom walls are constructed by a similar arrangement of panels. In assembling one panel to another to form a wall the outer faces of flanges 20 of adjacent panels 2-3, 34, etc. are brought into contact with each other as a butt joint between two plates 10 and a plurality of bolts 25 spaced along and passing through holes in the flanges 20 secure the plates together as by means of nuts 26. Access to flanges 20 for the bolting together thereof is gained from the inside of the enclosure through the opening 27 between flanges 18 on plates 9. After the bolting operation has been completed the space defined by spacers '11 and the overlap of plate with respect to plate 9, i.e. access space to bolts 25 and nuts 26, is filled with thermal insulation and the opening 27 covered by a strip 28 secured to plates 9 as by means of self tapping screws 29.

Figure 4 illustrates one of two methods which may be employed to join a pair of panels to form a corner. This figure shows panels 3 and 7 positioned at right angles with the panel edges to be joined spaced apart. A right angle strip 36 having an inturned flange 31 on each longitudinal edge thereof completes a junction between the plates 10 of panels 3 and 7. Flanges abut flange 31 of angle 30 and a series of bolts and nuts 26 secure the two together, access for bolting being gained from the inside of the enclosure through the opening 32 between flanges 18. After securing the angle to the plates 10 the corner space between panels 3 and '7 is filled with thermal insulation and the opening 32 covered by an angular strip 37 secured to plates 9 as by means of self tapping screws 29; It is apparent that all the corners on the enclosure may be formed in this manner, i.e. corners between end and side walls, walls and ceiling, and walls and floor.

It is believed to be obvious from Figure 4 and the foregoing paragraph that the corner between panels '3 and 7 can be made by reversing the former procedure. In this latter method flanges 18 are secured to an angular member similar to 30 except that edges 31 thereon are turned the other way and the bolting operation is carried out from the outside of the enclosure through the opening between flanges 20. A cover strip is then placed on the outer rather than the inner corner.

The bottom of the enclosure may comprise panels similar to panels 7 and 8 of the ceiling or, if desired, the'side and end wall panels may be secured directly to a foundation or floor in the manner illustrated in Figure ,5. Here the panel 2 is shown standing upright on flange 20 on a concrete floor 33 with a series of studs 34 embedded in the floor securing said flange to the floor by means of nuts 35. Again access for securing a panel to the floor is from the inside of the enclosure through the opening between flange '18 and the floor.

"After securing flange 20 to floor 33 the space between the spacers 11 and the floor is filled with thermal insulation; a cover strip 36 is then placed over the opening between flange 18 and the floor and is secured to plate 9 V by screws 29.

'If it is desired to seal an enclosure built in accordance "with the invention, such as an oven in a bakery, against the escape of gases therefrom, a sealing means such as a gasket may be placed between the abutting flanges 20- -20, 20-31 and 20-33 during assembly. When the nuts 26 are screwed down onto bolts 25 the gasket will be compressed between flanges and thereby form an effective seal.

'The enclosure constructed in accordance with this invention has smooth neat appearing outer surfaces, and

*Patent'of the United States is:

1. A thermally insulated enclosure constructed from a plurality of similar prefabricated panels each of which comprises a first rectangular plate; a second rectangular plate substantially longer and wider than said first plate; spacer members supporting said plates in spaced parallel relationship whereby the edgesof said second plate protrude beyond the edges of said first plate; integral flanges along the edges of said first plate directed toward said second plate; integral right angular flanges along the edges of said second plate directed toward said first plate; means securing one panel to another at the flanges on said second plates whereby the outer surfaces of said second plates are joined together to provide a flush outer surface for said enclosure, access to said securing means being gained from the inside of the enclosure through spaces between adjacent flanges on said first plates resulting from the smaller dimensions thereof; covers over said access openings secured to said first plates; and thermal insulation in the space between said first and second plates and between said covers and second plates.

2. An enclosure as defined in claim 1 wherein the flanges on said second plates of the panels are butt joined and secured together by bolts passing through apertures therein.

3. An enclosure as defined in claim 1 including means to secure adjacent panels to .form a corner of the enclosure comprising a right angle strip having a'ilange on each longitudinal edge thereof turned inward, said flanges being butt joined and bolted to theflangcs on said second plate.

4. A thermally insulated enclosure constructed from a plurality of similar prefabricated panels each of which comprises a first rectangular plate; a second reetangular plate substantially longer and wider than said first plate; spacer members supporting said plates in spaced parallel relationship whereby the edges of said second plate protrude beyond the edges of said 'first plate; integral right angular flanges along the edges of saidfirst plate directed toward said second plate; integral right angular flanges along the edges of said second plate directed toward said first plate; first means securing one panel to another at the flanges on said second plates whereby the outer surfaces of said second plates are joined together to provide a flush outer surface for said enclosure, access to said first securing means being gained from the inside of the enclosure through spaces between adjacent flanges on said first plates resulting from the smaller dimensions thereof; second means securing one panel to another at the flanges on said first plate whereby the outer surfaces thereof form inside corners of the enclosure, access to said second securing means being gained from the outside of the enclosure through spaces between adjacent flanges on said second plates; covers over said openings; and thermal insulation in the space between said first and second plates and betweensaid covers and plates.

5. An enclosure as defined in claim 4 wherein the flanges on said second plates of the panels 'are'butt joined and secured together by bolts passing through apertures therein and said second means securing adjacent panels to form a corner-of the enclosure comprises a right angle strip having a flange on each longitudinaledge thereof turned outward, said flanges being butt joined and bolted to the flanges on said first plate.

References Cited in the file of this patent UNITED STATES PATENTS 2,066,681 Goldsmith Jan. 5, 1937 2,691,432 Kleinet'al Oct. 12,1954 

